Adjustable jamb



L. MORRIS, JR

ADJUSTABLE JAMB Filed Feb. 7, 1956 Nov. 11, 1958 United States Patent C)ADJUSTABLE JAMB Louis Morris, ,.lr., Rehoboth, Mass., assigner offifteen percent to .lohn F. Penkala, Warren, and fifteen percent toArthur Tavares, Bristol, R. I.

AApplication February -7,.1956,Serial No. 564,019

6 Claims. (CL' Ztl-12) The: presentginventionrelates generally todo'orframes andthe like and moreparticularly-to, an adjustablezjamb therefonA primary object; ofthe; instant `invention is ,the;provision off animproved adjustable: door jamb for the. purpose of readily enabling apropertt'tobemade with the4 striking edgeofthe door in cases -where thedoor has eitherfshrunk or swollen beyond its original size when vfirstt-tedand hungy within the door frame.

Another object of theinstant invention is the pro-vision of'an'adjustable jamb which may be readily adjusted by an ordinary screwdriver or the like without the necessity .ofgdisassembling any of :thedoor frame structure.

Another objectris3the provision of an improved adjust? able vjamby soconstructed andl arranged as to. provide maximumresistanceagainstsurreptitious and'unauthorized breaking open of thedoor, Affurtherobjectfof the instant invention is theprovision-of anadjustable jamb having novel' and-'improved weatherstrippin-gcharacteristics.

Still another object of the` instant invention is-vthe prod vision AofVan adjustable door jamb so, constructed: and arranged as tornake itpossible to mount and remove the trim overlying said jamb from theoutside without the necessity offanydisassembling.

Affurther object is fthezprovision of'an adjustablejamb that-.will'notdeter from.the-attractiveness of the door frame in; which it is mounted,no matter what its position of adjustment may be.

Anothervobject is the-provision ofan adjustablefjamb thatis both simpleandV eiiicientV in operationthrough a relatively ywide range ofadjustment but which neverthe- 1Vess-is -commercially feasible tomanufacture.

Otherobjects, features and advantages of the inventionwillzbecomeapparent as the description thereof proceeds when consideredin-connectionwith the accompanying illustrative drawings.

Infthedrawings which illustrate the'best mode 'presently contemplatedbyme for carryingiout myfinvention:

Fig. l is a front elevation of a door and-frame assembly.

embodying-the instant invention;

VFig-2 isan elevational/section,v on an enlarged scale,V

taken on line 2 2 of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is .a fragmentary front elevation,.on an enlargedscale,with1portions broken away to more clearly show'the adjustable jambstructure;

Fig. 4 isan enlarged fragmentary section taken on .line 4-.-4 of Fig. l,with the door per se removed .in ordery toVY more clearly showthe parts;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged. fragmentary section taken online 5?.-5 of;Fig. 2;and

Fig.. 6. is. an. enlarged fragmentary section takenfonf door itself.This problem has become particularly troublesome in `recents/earsy inview of .the greatv demand for new homes and 4the like therebynecessitating the :use of streamlined building, procedures inorder: tokeep-up with this increasing demand for-production. As. afresult ofthesestreamlined-procedures, itsis often necessary to utilize:woodwhich: is not-i properly .aged .and which,- due to this fact', isvery susceptible to shrinkage andexp'ansion when com-ing inxcontaictwith varying :atmospheric.condi` tions.` As,I ayr'esult tof-the;foregoing. it has. becomedesirable .to provide' a .door frame. structure.comprisingl a movable -jamb which :may :be readily adjusted. to`cornpensate for such shrinkage and swelling subsequentttoi the mountingof the doorn.

Movable.z andl adjustable; jambshave been utilized -heretofore,but inthe past certain; disadvantages have .been in.- herent in-theirconstruction; wliichidisadvantagesy rendered saidpriorartadjustable-jambs .unfeasible from: a com;- mercialgstandp'oint;More specically,1 since. an :adjustable jamb usually carries-thereonhekeeper plate which cooperates ;withthe door; la-tchi and lock,;itisjmperative that said jamby have sufficient strength lwhen mounted .toresist an outwardthrust orpullon the'door when .thezlatter'is inlockedcondtion. It,v is yfurther imperative that the, movable jambbeyreadly'` adjustable afrom an accessiblefposition;Another:-disadvantagewf prior art movable jambsY has been the problem ofprovidingadequateweatherstripping between--sai'dwjamb :anditsassociated- ,door structure, while. still another problem hastbeenthelack of Sa structural de sign .which-would enable the" trim strip-whi'chcovers the: adjustable? jam-b to, be easilyLrnounted.inpositiomand. disassembled when-,desired,. without the `necessity' ofvdisassemblinggtheyentire structure.

A'ccordinglj/,there' is providedby'the invention nowftobe described anadjustablejamb structurewhiehovercomes these, aforediscusseddisadvantages. Itwill be-understood. that while the adjustable'jamb ispreferably.- -mountedf adjacenty to, the striking: edgefofY itsassoc-:iated' doorfsait. structure could well be--mountedonthehingeedg'e frameL of' the door. In the, latter design; the hinges, would be:mounted directly to ltheiadjtlstable jamb.v 'lfheztinvention'A is notaffected by `theI specific locationwof thek adjustable: jamb, andy hencefor 4purposes of illustration, my` inven# tion has.been-.illustratedzand will be described with'rea spect to an adjustablejamblOCated. adjacent the; striking edge of its associated door;

Since the problem toward iwhichfzthis invention is. directed ismost'prevalent in connection with outside doors, whereatmospheric'conditions are most likely to have Va; pronounced effect,thy-invention now torbev describedis directed to-theconstruction--ofsuchan outside door., It`= will be understood,'however, thatthe'principlesfof invention are equally applicable to inside doorsaswell.V

Referring now tothe drawings, and more particularlyto Fig.-l thereof,there is shown a door frame structure comprising a door l0 hingedly`mounted as at-l2.in aV manner well=known in the art and having af-handlele. which has associatedj therewith conventional latching meansw(notshown). Trim strips 16, 18j and' 202 and threshold 22 "surround theldoorway kin a well-known manner.

The-'adjustable jamb structure constructed inV accordancey with theinstant invention is shown most clearlyv in Figs.. 2 through 6andrcomprises a stationary `jamb 24E/and a movable jamb 262 As will` beseen most clearly from: Figs. 5 and v6, the inner edge of the stationaryjamb 242is; offset with respect to the movable jamb Z6 whereby to -profIvide a stop means Zi for limiting inward movement. of-the'. door. Itwill further be noted'. that jambs Zi'and- 26flarea insidebysidelrelationwithrespect toy each'zother', and attheir-`contactingfedges are provided with-finterengaging offset portions30a-whereby to f provide-1weatherstripping means therebetween.

Iambs 24 and 26 comprise elongated beams, preferably of wood, and aremounted between the outer house wall 32 and trim strip 20, which forms apart of inner house wall 34, the latter having mounted thereon the trimstrip 20 in a manner hereinafter to be described in detail. As will beseen most clearly fromvFigs. 2 and 5, stationary jamb 24 has secured tothe `back surface thereof lby any desirable means, such as screws or thelike, a plurality of elongated brackets 36, preferably metallic, whichare mounted thereto in longitudinally spaced relation. The brackets 36are provided with an offset portion 38 which extends behind the rearsurface of the movable jamb 26 in spaced relation thereto, said oisetportion terminating in an inwardly extending tlange 40. The flanges 40extend into grooves 42 provided in the rear surface of the jamb 26.

Extending through jamb 26 from its front surface are a plurality ofelongated studs 44. The studs 44 are threaded as at 46, their threadedends extending through tapped holes 48 provided in the otr'set portion38 of brackets 36. It will be understood that the holes 48 are insubstantial alignment with the studs 44 whereby to threadedly receivethe same. In order that studs 44 and movable jamb 26 may move as a unit,said studs are provided With slotted heads 50 which set in appropriatecounterbores S2 provided in the jamb 26. Adjacent the rear surface ofthe jamb 26, stud 44 has extending therethrough a small pin 54 wherebyit will be seen that jamb 26 is iixed to the stud 44 for inward andoutward motion although said stud is freely rotatable. Washers 56 may beprovided to aid in the secure gripping of jamb 26 by the head 50 and pin54 of the stud.

Thus it will be seen that rotation of slotted head 50 by a screw driveror the like will result in sliding movement of the jamb 26 with respectto fixed bracket 36. The inwardly extending bracket ange 40 cooperateswith the grooves 42 to act as guiding means for the movable jamb 26 andat the same time strengthens said jamb against an outward pull or thrustthat may be imparted thereto should someone pull outwardly on the doorwhen the latter is in its locked position. The fact that the grooves 42are located intermediate the edges of jamb 26 is important andadvantageous in that they are hidden from View, no matter what theposition of jamb 26.

Intermediate the brackets 36, stationary jamb 24 and movable jamb 26 areprovided with aligned, transversely extending slots 58 formed in therear surface of the respective jambs. Seated within said slots 58 areelongated dowel members 60, preferably of square cross section, As willbe seen most clearly in Fig. 6, slot 58 extends deeper in the movablejamb 26 to provide an excess portion 62 whereby said movable jamb may beadjusted in the manner aforedescribed until the edge 64 of opening 62comes into engagement with the fixed dowel 60. The dowel 60 may besecured to stationary jamb 24 in any suitable manner, such as bynailing, or said dowels may be secured directly to the outer house wall32, if desired. The outer edges 68 of the dowels 60 provide means towhich trim strip 20 may be mounted, and said outer edges extend slightlybeyond the adjacent edge of jamb 26 whereby to provide a very smallclearance Ibetween trim strip 20 and jamb 26, thus reducing bearingfriction therebetween during movement of the latter, note Figs. and 6.The dowels 60 are preferably of Wood or the like whereby they areadapted to receive fastening elements, such as nails 70, which extendthrough trim strip 20. It will thus be seen that trim strip 20 is easilymounted in overlying relation with respect to the movable jamb 26 sinceiixed dowels 60 extend through said movable jamb to provide suitableanchoring means. If desired, trim strip 20 may also be fastened to innerhouse wall 34 by nailing or the like, such as shown at 72.

As will be seen most clearly from Fig. 3, threshold 22 abuts trim strip20 whereby there is never any undesirable open space adjacent to themovable jamb no matter what position the latter is in. In order toafford better weathersealing characteristics, a brous pad 74 is securedto the bottom edge of movable jamb 26 to bridge the space between saidjamb and threshold 22. v

If desirable, metal bands or sleeves (not shown) may be used toencompass the dowels 60 in order to prevent spreading of said dowelswhen the fastening elements 70 are inserted therein. Also, to facilitatethe entry of nails 70 into the end portion of the dowels 68, apertures76 may be provided therein.

Thus it will be seen that there is provided in accordance with theinvention an extremely simple yet eiiicient means for providing anadjustable jamb in a door frame structure. The instant invention doesaway with the laborious and time-consuming task of iitting doors withintheir frames when irst hung, since by use of the instant construction,the door may be quickly mounted and then the adjustable jamb moved intoits proper position. The instant invention is further characterized bythe particular construction which atfords maximum strength to themovable jamb and which prevents outward pulling of said jamb from itsmounting. My construction also provides extremely elective guide meansforthe movement of the adjustable jamb in that the elongated dowels 60will cooperate with slots 58 to always maintain said movable jamb in itsproper vertical position while the inwardly extending flanges serve tomaintain the jamb 26 in proper alignment during the latters in-and-outmovement. The dowels 60 also provide effective means for receivingfastening elements whereby for the first time a trimstrip covering themovable jamb may be mounted from the outside. In addition, the design ofthe instant construction provides maximum weathersealingcharacteristics.

While there is shown and described herein certain specic structureembodying the invention, it will be manifest to those skilled in the artthat various modifications and rearrangements of the parts may be madewithout y departing from the spirit and scope of the underlyinginventive concept and that the same is not limited to the particularforms herein shown and described except insofar as indicated by thescope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a door frame, a stationary jamb, a movable jamb adjacent theretohaving a front face normally disposed in closely spaced relation withrespect to the striking edge of a door, means for adjusting said movablejamb for varying the size of the door receiving opening dened thereby,said adjusting means comprising a xed bracket extending from saidstationary jamb in spaced relation to the rear face of said movablejamb, a longitudinally extending groove in said rear face spaced fromthe opposite longitudinal edges thereof, a iiange carried by saidbracket extending into said groove, an elongated stud extending throughsaid movable jamb, said stud being freely rotatable with respect to saidjamb but xed thereto for longitudinal movement, said stud adjacent itsinner end being threadedly received by said bracket whereby manipulationof the stud causes said movable jamb to move relative to said bracket,and a trim strip ixedly mounted in overlying relation with respect tothe free outer side of said movable jamb. f

2. In a door frame, a stationary jamb, a movable jamb adjacent theretohaving a front face normally disposed `in closely spaced relation withinrespect to the striking edge of a door, means for adjusting said movablejamb for varying the size of the door receiving opening defined thereby,said adjusting means comprising a plurality of longitudinally spacedbrackets secured to and extending from said stationary jamb in spacedrelation to the rear face of said movable jamb, said brackets each beingprovided with an inwardly extending flange, groove means in the rearface of said movable jamb spaced fromthe opposite longitudinal edgesthereof for receiving said flanges, a plurality of elongated studsextending through said movable jamb, said studs being freely rotatablewith respect to said jamb but xed thereto for longitudinal movement,said studs adjacent their inner ends each being threadedly received byone of said brackets whereby manipulation of the studs causes movementof said movable jamb relative to said bracket, said movable jamb furtherhaving a plurality of spaced transversely extending slots longitudinallystaggered with respect to Said brackets, and a plurality of xed mountingelements each extending from said stationary jamb through a respectiveslot and terminating adjacent the outer edge of said movable jamb, saidfixed elements and said slots cooperating to provide supporting meansfor said movable jamb throughout its normal range of adjustment, theouter edges of said iixed elements providing spaced supports ofsubstantial depth for receiving fastening means to iixedly mount a trimstrip over the outer edge of said movable jamb.

3. A door frame as set forth in claim 2 further characterized in thatsaid Xed mounting element comprises an elongated dowel of square crosssection.

4. A door frame as set forth in claim 2 further characterized in thatsaid stationary jamb and said movable jamb have cooperatinginterengaging surfaces for providing a weatherseal therebetween.

5. A door frame as set forth in claim 2 further characterized in thatthere is provided a threshold which underlies said movable jamb, saidmovable jamb having secured to its lower edge a fibrous strip forproviding weatherseal means between said movable jamb and saidthreshold.

6. In a door frame, a stationary jamb, a movable jamb adjacent theretohaving a front face normally disposed in closely spaced relation withrespect to the striking edge of a door, means for adjusting said movablejamb for varying the size of the door receiving opening defined thereby,said adjusting means comprising a plurality of longitudinally spacedbrackets secured to and extending from said stationary jamb in spacedrelation to therear face of said movable jamb, said brackets each beingprovided with an inwardly extending ange, groove means in the rear faceof said movable jamb spaced from the opposite longitudinal edges thereoffor receiving said anges, a plurality of elongated studs extendingthrough said movable jamb, said studs being freely rotatable withrespect to said jamb but fixed thereto for longitudinal movement, saidstuds adjacent their inner ends each being threadedly received by one ofsaid brackets whereby manipulation of the studs causes movement of saidmovable jamb relative to said bracket, said movable jamb further havinga plurality of spaced transversely extending slots longitudinallystaggered with respect to said brackets, a plurality of xed mountingelements each extending from said stationary jamb through a respectiveslot and terminating slightly beyond the outer edge of said movablejamb, said xed elements and said slots cooperating to provide supportingmeans for said movable jamb throughout its normal range of adjustment,and a trim strip fixedly mounted in overlying relation with respect tothe outer edge of said movable jamb, said trim strip having means forsecuring it to the outer ends of said mounting elements.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS851,300 Moen Apr. 23, 1907 1,879,005 Andersen Sept. 27, 1932 FOREIGNPATENTS 349,408 Great Britain May 28, 1931

